CONNECT

Another election season is upon us and the stakes are sky-high (…well…that’s what people keep insisting). However, despite this, the overall enthusiasm around this year’s most “viable” candidates is as low as I can recall there ever being for an election.

Now, I have absolutely no idea why people wouldn’t be excited about candidates like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but excitement is low, nonetheless — evidenced by the fact some of the most popular hashtags around these two are #NeverTrump and (my fav) #GirlIGuessImWithHer. So, as a result, some of the expected election season rhetoric is coming back up to “encourage” (hint: guilt & shame) people to get out to the polls come November. One of my long-time favorite tactics is the classic phrase, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”

If you’ve encountered the “Woke” section of social media, at any point in time, you’ve likely come across a meme like this:

On the surface, the intentions of this meme are noble and good. A lot of us Black people who are on an advocate, activist and/or revolutionary tip also have to reconcile that identity with the white friends that we have in our lives (many of whom were likely there before the Pro-Black bug bit us). We sometimes find ourselves walking the line of being real and honest about race issues, while also not attacking our melanin-deficient friends, in the process. I totally get that, and for a long time, subscribed to this mindset.

…but I think it’s time to admit that the saying, “Pro-Black isn’t Anti-White” is complete and utter bullshit, for at least a few reasons:

Disclaimer: This piece is not a condemnation of the concepts of White Privilege or BLM. If that’s what you’re here for, don’t waste your time (or, more importantly, mine).

As someone who has spent a great deal of time around people of various racial/ethnic backgrounds throughout my adult life, I’ve encountered race and race-based discussions a lot…and this was before my Pro-Black gene kicked into high gear over just the last couple of years. This means that I, like most any other socially aware people of color on this planet, have engaged in (and been dragged into…and beaten over the head with) more conversations around race than I care to recall. And if you’re here, you’re probably already well aware of all of the headaches that a life filled with these conversations and “debates” can entail, so I’ll spare you (and myself) the outlining of all of those gory details.

As any other Pro-Black person who’s discussed race for an extended period of time knows, you hit a certain point of fatigue with said discussions. This fatigue has gotten me to the point where I rarely, if ever, debate racial issues with white people (beyond the occasional, self-gratifying shade or clapback). And this is mainly because there’s a certain level that far too many just don’t seem to be able to make it past, which I’ve started calling the “Kiddie Pool” of social justice — topics like “White Privilege” and “Black Lives Matter.”

Since, basically, the Civil Rights Movement, when they helped pass the Civil Rights Act in the 60’s, Black people have aligned, virtually in lockstep, with the democratic party. In the decades since, the democratic party has worked tirelessly to maintain our support and votes. And in return they’ve given us so much…black lives have improved greatly under democratic leadership…greatly.

Similarly to most any other socially aware Black person with an opinion on virtually anything of consequence, I’ve gone through my adult life being consistently and adamantly labeled by non-Black people as “Militant,” “Too Opinionated,” or — everyone’s favorite detracting tool — “Angry.” For the longest, I’d resented this term, because I never felt like I was coming from a place of anger, but simply from speaking my truth about issues I’d personally encountered and my discontent with many of them. I mean, maybe it’s just me, but I think I’m entitled to rant a bit over being called things like “Oreo” or “The Whitest Black Guy I Know” by more than one white gay man — or being chastised for being a bottom as opposed to the aggressive, Mandingo tops they like to stereotype us as being.